Miracle?
by Millemini
Summary: When Annie arrives home after a 4 month long undercover mission something has changed with Auggie. How will she react to the news he has and how will that affect their friendship? How will Auggie's life change? NOW COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Wow, the reception to this one-shot blew me away and I guess the consensus is that I should make it a stand-alone story and add a few more chapter. I'm keeping the one-shot in "The Catchall Drawer" to keep the reviews, but reposting it here, along with the second chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: The usual stuff... I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie.**

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**-Chapter 1-**

Annie rushed through the halls of Langley toward the DPD. A four-month undercover mission had finally come to an end and she was anxious to find out what was going on with Auggie. He'd been her main handler for the mission but about a month and a half into it Stu had taken over without offering any kind of explanation to Auggie's absence or when he'd be back. She'd known that he wouldn't be there every day when she checked in, although he was a BIG workaholic Joan wouldn't allow him to work 24/7. She insisted on him taking two days a week off a week, he normally took one and a half. He was a master at finding excuses for coming into the office on his day off. When he hadn't been the one to answer the phone when she checked in for a week she'd started worrying, but the mission had been intense and it wasn't until she'd checked in from Dulles she'd realized she hadn't spoken to Auggie in almost three months. As she rounded to final corner and entered the glass doors to the DPD she immediately made a beeline for Auggie's office. It was dark and abandoned, with no sign of Auggie. Just as she was about to turn and go to her desk and start writing her mission report Joan called her into her office.

"Good job on this mission Annie. You've gathered some really valuable intel."

"Thank you Joan. Ummm…." Annie hesitated; she wasn't sure how to ask Joan about Auggie.

"You want to know where Auggie is?" Joan cut to the chase.

"Yes. I thought he was going to be my primary handler on this mission, and no one told me why Stu too over without warning."

"Auggie's on medical leave. He's due back at work in a couple of weeks."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" Annie's voice was laced with worry.

"I'll let Auggie tell you that himself. He's at home and he told me to let you know that he wants you to come over after work. File your mission report and you're free to leave," Joan said dismissively. Annie got up and headed straight for her desk, wondering what was causing Auggie to be on medical leave for three months. Her mind was racing and she found it very hard to focus on the report, but she managed to send it off to Joan before 4 pm.

* * *

As soon as she cleared the gates of Langley she dug out her cell phone and dialed Auggie's number he picked up on the third ring.

"Annie! You're back I presume?" he said cheerfully. He didn't sound like anything was wrong with him.

"Just got back a few hours ago. I've been by Langley to file my report and now I'm heading back to DC. Joan said you wanted me to come by after work. What's going on Auggie?" Annie's voice was laced with worry despite Auggie's cheeriness.

"It's not something I wanna discuss over the phone. Do you want to come over now? Or do you have to make an appearance at Danielle's?"

"Danielle doesn't know I'm back. Have you eaten?"

"Nope, I'm starving actually, I was trying to decide of I should cook or call for a delivery."

"I can bring something," Annie offered. "Anything in particular you want me to get?"

"I was thinking about some Thai food. How does that sound to you?"

"Sounds great. Why don't you call in the order and I'll pick it up on my way over. Just order the regular one for me, ok?"

"Sure. See you in a few." Auggie ended the call.

Half an hour later Annie knocked on Auggie's door, she heard footsteps inside and to her surprise he didn't call out his usual "Who is it?", he just slid the door open. Annie was surprised to see Auggie looking as fit and healthy as ever. He was wearing a pair of worn jeans and a fitted navy t-shirt, his hair was slightly tousled and he smiled broadly. He didn't look sick at all, but there was something different about him, she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hi Auggie, you look way better than I expected."

"Well, thanks for that Walker. I've missed you too. Come in. I'll take the food," he said, holding out his hand.

Annie handed him the bag and entered. After closing the door behind her she slipped off her shoes and looked around. The apartment was brighter lit than she remembered and she noticed Auggie had gotten a new TV, a big flat screen hung on the wall opposite from his couch. A paperback book with a pair of glasses on top of it sitting on the coffee table caught her attention. Her mind was spinning and she looked at Auggie again. He was leaning casually against the kitchen island with a smile on his face. Then she noticed his eyes; he was looking straight at her. Not in her general direction like he used to.

"Auggie...?" Annie breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. He nodded and his smile grew wider. Annie quickly crossed the floor to where he was standing and threw her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a firm hug.

"You're just as beautiful as I imagined," he whispered into her hair. As they broke the embrace Annie found her voice again.

"You can see? How? When? Why didn't you tell me?" The questions tumbled out of her mouth.

"Yeah. It's a long story, I'll tell you over dinner, I'm starving," Auggie said as he withdrew some plates from the cupboard. Annie noticed how he moved differently; smooth, confident movements had replaced the subtle, searching moves of a blind man.

Ten minutes later they'd satisfied their hunger and Auggie started speaking.

"About a month after you left Dr. Kessle called. There was a new experimental treatment and I was an ideal candidate. Problem was it started just a couple of weeks later. I cleared it with Joan, she granted a 3-month medical leave and before I knew it I was admitted and they started the treatment. There was no real risk, I was completely blind, and things couldn't get any worse, right?"

"I take it the treatment was successful?"

"More than they expected. They'd had good results on people with really bad vision, but I was the first completely blind patient they tried it on. I haven't got 20/20 vision back, but I see well enough to move around in daylight without a cane, I can read regular print again and use a computer without any adaptive tech. I just need reading glasses and proper lighting. It's amazing. My night vision isn't all that great; I still need to use my cane outside at night and in dark places I don't know. I don't see well enough to drive either, but I can live with that. Anything is better than what I had, and what I got was more than I ever dreamed off. After Kessle's rejection last year I'd basically written off any chance of seeing anything ever again."

"Why didn't you tell me? I've been worried about you."  
Auggie could hear the hurt in her voice and he could see the flicker of emotion that passed her face. He knew Annie and he'd expected this.

"Annie, you were the one person I wanted to tell about this, I wanted to talk to you so bad, I wanted you to be there with me in the hospital, to be there with me when they removed the bandages. Unfortunately the mission got in the way. Joan is the only one that knows why I'm away, I didn't want everyone to know, to get their hopes up for me and then feel sorry for me if it didn't work. You know me; I can't stand pity. Never could."

Annie nodded, she knew.

"I asked Joan if I could call you and talk to you. She said no. She didn't want you to be distracted, the mission was too important for that. She thought you might have jumped right on a plane back home if you knew what was going on."

"It's ok Auggie. Joan is right; I probably would've worried more about you if I'd known what was going on. So what does this mean? Are you going back in the field?"

"Yes and no. I don't see well enough to be a fully authorized field officer, so when I go back to work in a couple of weeks it'll be as Head of Tech Ops. Joan has promised me some field work though, we'll just have to wait and see what happens when I return."

"Why have you been out on medical leave for so long?"

"Took me a while to adjust to seeing again. I had terrible headaches the first month, had to be careful and not strain my eyes too much. That was a challenge, having lived in the dark for the past five years it was amazing to suddenly have a world of light and color again…" Auggie's voice got thick with emotion and trailed off. He took a deep breath and swallowed before continuing. "Really bright sunlight still bothers me and the headaches are persistent, but it's getting better. I can't wait to get back to work, I'm getting restless."

"I can only imagine…you're the biggest workaholic I know Auggie," Annie chuckled. Auggie looked over at her and winked. Annie shook her head; she still hadn't fully wrapped her head around the fact that Auggie could see her.

"I'm so happy for you Auggie, but I have to admit it's gonna take me a while to wrap my head around that you can see now."

"I know it's a lot to take in. Take all the time you need Annie. I'm here."

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**So, what do you think? Curious to read more or is it crap?  
**

**For now it's a one shot in "The CatchAll Drawer",  
but if you want more I might turn it into a separate story.**

**You know what to do - hit the blue button below! :o)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the 2nd chapter. It's all Auggie's POV. I hope you like it.**

**June 13th: Did a small clean up job, cleaned up a few mistakes that was called to my attention in a PM. :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, I just like to play with the characters.**

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**-Chapter 2-**

Three months before the 1st chapter.

Auggie was just about ready to head out the door when his landline phone rang. When the caller ID announced an "unknown caller" he figured it was his driver calling to tell him he hadn't been able to park just outside his building and where he could find him. He picked up the handset of the phone on the kitchen counter and answered the call.

"Yes?"

"Auggie, this is Dr. Kessle."

Hearing who was on the other end of the call immediately had Auggie's curiosity piqued. He hadn't heard from him since he rejected him for experimental treatments about eight months earlier.

"Dr. Kessle? What can I do for you today?"

"It's more a question of what I can do for you Auggie. We have a new experimental treatment and this time you're a perfect candidate."

"Really?" Disbelief laced Auggie's voice. After the rejection the previous fall he'd pretty much written off any hope of ever seeing again. "What kind of results are you hoping for?"

"We've had very good results on patients with injuries similar to yours with partial sight. Some of them have regained almost perfect vision. You'd be the first completely blind patient we try it on, so I don't really know what your results might be, but there's a chance you'll regain at least some sight. I can't promise anything though."

"Sign me up doc. When?"

"Unfortunately we don't have much time. You'd have to be admitted to the hospital by the end of the week and I need you to clear the following three months off your calendar."

"Shit..." Auggie breathed out. Arranging for a three-month leave on a few days notice seemed like an impossible task. "Not so sure my boss will go along with that, but I'll request a meeting as soon as I arrive at work. I was just leaving when you called."

"I'll need an answer as soon as possible, you have my number, right?"

"Yes. Thank you Dr. Kessle. I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Auggie's brain was working on high gear the entire ride to Langley. What Dr. Kessle had told him was mind blowing and he hoped Joan was in an understanding mood. He also hoped she'd allow him to call Annie and talk about it. He needed to talk it through with someone, and he wanted that someone to be Annie. He cursed the fact that she was on an undercover mission that was expected to take up to four months. She'd only been gone for a month, so he couldn't count on having her support in the hospital. He'd have to go through it alone, there was no one else he could imagine having with him. Auggie was so distracted with his thoughts that he kept his white cane out too keep out of trouble as he made his way through the endless maze of corridors towards the DPD and his office. As he settled down by his desk he folded his cane and placed it next to the phone and quickly dialed Joans extension. She picked up on the first ring.

"Good morning Auggie. What can I do for you?"

"Mornin' Joan. There's something I need to discuss with you, can I have a few minutes of your time this morning?"

"Of course. Come over to my office, my schedule is clear at the moment."

"Thanks, I'll be right there," Auggie said, pushing the button to end the call. He stashed his white cane away and withdrew the laser cane from the drawer and turned it on. Within a couple of minutes he was seated in one of the chairs in front of Joan's desk. He immediately rambled away about Dr. Kessle's call that morning, every fiber of him begging for Joan to approve his leave.

"I'll approve a three month medical leave Auggie, I understand what this means to you. I do require a weekly check in from you while you're on leave, as soon as you're released from the hospital. As for your second request I'm denying it. You know how important this mission is and we can't afford for Annie to be distracted. Knowing her she'd probably be on the first available flight here to be there for you. I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to tell her about it until she returns."

Auggie nodded in understanding and tried to swallow the disappointment. Part of him was elated. Joan had given him the green light to go ahead with the treatment. After what Dr. Kessle had told him he couldn't help being optimistic, hopeful that he'd be able to regain at least some sight.

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Little over a week later Auggie was in a hospital bed, fidgeting with the edges of the sheet and blanket covering the lower part of his body, he was getting restless. It had been four days since Dr. Kessle had performed the procedure and his eyes were heavily bandaged and taped shut. Now it was time to remove the bandages and find out if the treatment had been successful. He was just waiting for Dr. Kessle and a nurse to return to his room. The sound of the door opening and two sets of footsteps approaching him caught his attention.

"Ready to remove the bandages?" Dr. Kessle asked.

Auggie nodded. He was beyond nervous and couldn't manage to get a word out. He wished Annie was there with him.

"Right then, if you just sit on the edge of the bed, we'll get started."

Auggie pulled the covers back and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Soon he felt Dr. Kessle starting to remove the bandages. As he got ready to remove the tape on Auggie's eyelids he instructed Auggie to keep his eyes shut until it was removed on both eyes and then open his eyes slowly. Auggie struggled to keep himself calm as the doctor removed the tape.

"Ok, you can open your eyes when you're ready," Dr. Kessle said as he removed the last piece of tape. Taking a deep breath Auggie opened his eyes; the light that hit him startled him. He blinked a few times and to his pleasure and surprise he was able to make out the room in front of him and the two people standing in front of him with expectant look on their faces. The images were fuzzy, but they were there, he could see. Although Auggie rarely let his emotions get the best of him, this time he couldn't hold back the tears that rolled silently from his eyes. He sniffled and wiped the tears away with a big grin on his face. From what he could make out of Dr. Kessle's face he understood what was going on. He firmly squeezed Auggies shoulder; he wanted to let him have some time to process it before pushing to find out exactly what he was seeing.

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"Hi Auggie, how is it going?" Joan greeted him as he called her for his weekly check in. It had been almost two and a half months since the surgery and Auggie had been at home for the past month and a half. He was getting restless and anxious to get back to work. He'd initially been a little disappointed when he'd realized that the procedure hadn't given him enough sight to get his drivers license back or for him to fill the physical requirements to be fully authorized field officer, but he'd soon come to the realization that he needed to be thankful for what he'd gotten. It was more than he'd dared to hope for. To be able to read print again, actually watch movies and see what was on the screen of the computer in front of him was a gift he'd cherished.

"Getting better Joan, headaches are persistent, but they are fewer and farther between. Now it generally happens if I've been straining my eyes too much. Which I do a lot of, it's hard not to."

"I can only imagine. Listen Auggie, Annie is on her way home from her mission and she's been asking about you. The mission has been keeping her pretty busy, but I'll have to tell her something when she comes back."

"I'd really like to tell her myself Joan. Could you ask her to come over to my place after work tonight?"

"Sure, I can manage that. Listen, I've talked to Arthur and there's no way we can fully authorize you as a field officer. There are certain physical requirements, and you're still pretty far away from meeting the one regarding sight."

Auggie let out a very audible sigh. He'd expected this, he was well aware that his sight didn't meet the requirements, but he'd still hoped they'd be able to make an exception. After all he'd done some good fieldwork when he was completely blind and he thought that ought to count for something.

"But," Joan continued. "You will be allowed out in the field again, but we'll have to decide when on a mission-to-mission basis, okay?"

Auggie perked up immediately. He would be getting back into the field, sanctioned. He knew the missions wouldn't be the riskiest ones, but he was just happy he'd be getting out from behind his desk with the Agency's blessing.

"Thank you Joan. Glad to hear it," he said in the most professional, measured tone he could muster. They chatted for a few more minutes and Joan promised to let Annie know he wanted her to come over when she got off work. He was nervous about it, wondering how Annie would react to the news and anxious to actually see the woman that had managed to become one of the most important people in his life over the past couple of years.

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Thirty minutes after Annie had called and asked if he wanted her to come over a knock sounded on his door. He quickly crossed the floor in his apartment and slid the door open, not bothering to ask who was there. He fought hard to act as normal as possible; she was just as beautiful as the image he'd made of her in his minds eye.

"Hi Auggie, you look much better than I expected," she greeted him with a broad smile.

"Well thanks for that Walker, I've missed you too," he quipped, somewhat sarcastically, he almost grasped the bag of food from her, but he stopped himself and held out his hand in her direction. "I'll take the food."

Annie placed the bag in his hand and he headed for the kitchen and set the bag down on the kitchen island. He leaned against it and watched Annie entering, closing and locking the door behind her. After slipping off her stillettos (how on earth could he have mistaken those for kitten heels?) she looked around his apartment. He wondered when she'd put everything together. He knew the lighting was brighter than she was used to, he watched as she noticed his new TV and then her eyes landed on the book he was reading, with his glasses sitting on top of it. A look of wonder and happiness came to her face and she looked over at him, expectantly and she breathed his name, barely above a whisper. He made eye contact with her and nodded, she quickly crossed over to where he was standing and wrapped her arms around his neck. He reciprocated and pulled her in for a warm embrace and whispered "You're just as beautiful as I imaginied" into her hair. A wave of relief flooded over him, she hadn't expressed any anger or distrust, just happiness for him.

As Auggie locked his door behind Annie a few hours later he was relieved. He'd wondered about how to break the news about the experimental treatment, and eventually the unexpected positive results, to Annie since he was admitted to the hospital three months earlier. Thankfully his approach, with a little help from Joan, had worked and their friendship seemed to be as solid as ever. Annie had seemed genuinely happy for him and the conversation had flowed easily between them. He had used the evening to soak in her appearance and how she moved. He loved how expressive her face was and her wide smile was about the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "Seen," he thought with a small smile on his face. It was still surreal to him that he was able to see again and he'd never again take the gift of sight for granted, that was for sure.

Two weeks after the first chapter

When Auggie's alarm clock started blaring at 5:45 am he'd already been awake for almost an hour. He hadn't slept much at all that night, he'd mostly been tossing and turning. He was going back to work and he felt just as nervous about going back there seeing as he'd felt when he came back to work after losing his sight. To his relief Annie had taken the 'new and improved' version of him in a stride, her reaction had been his biggest worry. He had been afraid of losing his best friend. Seeing her for the first time had been mindboggling, she'd brought every mental image he'd put together of her to shame. He realized that one thing that had actually been a blessing with being blind was that he didn't have the benefit of judging people by their looks, and he'd appreciated Annie's personality rather than her appearance. If he'd met her with working eyes he probably would've hit on her and tried to make her another notch on his bedpost, which had been his usual way of treating hot girls for years. After he was blinded it had become a way of proving to himself that he was still attractive. In the three years he'd known Annie he hadn't thought about her as anything but a friend. She'd been his best friend and confidante, and he had been hers. She was one of the few people he'd let in and opened up to. He was truly grateful for her friendship, the way she'd treated him as an equal from the moment they met had told him a lot about the kind of person she was. Seeing her had woken some other feelings in him, it had made him want to push their relationship past the friendship zone, but he was unsure of what to do about it, if anything. These thoughts had been rattling around in his head for the past week or so, causing him more than one sleepless night.

With a groan Auggie sat up in bed and tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes while pushing his emotional quandaries to the back of his mind. It was time to get ready for work, Annie had promised to pick him up on her way to Langley. The initial disappointment he'd felt when it was clear that his sight wasn't good enough for him to get his drivers license back had subsided, he'd realized that what he'd gotten was more than he'd ever dreamed of and he should be thankful that he didn't have to live the rest of his life in the dark.  
He pulled the covers back and swung is legs over the side of the bed, before standing up and stretching. He made a detour to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and pop a bagel in the toaster before he headed for the bathroom. As he passed the front door he heard the thump of the Washington Post landing on his doormat. The sound brought a smile to his face as he entered his bathroom. Reading the morning paper while eating breakfast had always been one of his favorite things and he was grateful to have that back. After taking a shower, shaving and brushing his teeth he got dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a light gray tailored shirt. He also grabbed a dark grey blazer off the hanger.

An hour later he'd finished his bagel, two cups of coffee and he'd read the Washington post. He checked the time; Annie should be arriving soon. He placed his reading glasses in their case and put them in the inside pocket of his blazer with his employee ID. Just as he picked up his wallet and keys his iPhone buzzed with an incoming text; Annie was 5 minutes away. The weather was nice, so he figured he could wait for her outside. For a second he considered bringing his cane, but he planned on coming home before dark so he shouldn't need it. A few minutes later Annie pulled up and her choice of vehicle brought a big grin to Auggie's face; she was driving his 'Vette that he'd given to her the previous fall.

"I figured you should arrive back at Langley in style," she said in a way of a greeting as he got in.

"Well, thank you Miss Walker," Auggie said with a grin as Annie pulled into traffic.

A few minutes into the drive Annie glanced over at Auggie, he seemed to be nervous.

"Hey, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little bit nervous. I remember the feeling from when I returned to work after losing my sight, wondering how people will react."

"Auggie, everyone at work is so happy for you, Joan sprung the news on Friday and you have nothing to worry about."

"I sure hope not," he sighed, and then a small smile crossed his face. "I'm looking forward to seeing my office and the ops center you know."

Annie reached over and squeezed his forearm, a habit she'd developed not long after she got to know Auggie. She knew their relationship was more based on touch than what was normal between friends, but with Auggie's blindness their non verbal communication had to be that way. They both secretly wished it wouldn't stop, even with Auggie's sight partly restored.

"Thanks Annie," he said with a smile.

* * *

**Very keen to hear what you think.**

**As long as the criticism is constructive it's appreciated.**

**You know what to do...**

**Push. That. Button.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow! :o) The reviews really blew me away. Here's chapter 3. I hope you like it as much as you liked the previous too. I'm so scared of screwing this up, I don't wanna ruin our beloved Auggie.**

**DISCLAIMER: The usual, I don't own anything. Not Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie... *sad sigh***

* * *

Auggie's first week back at the DPD was coming to an end and he was sitting by his computer, working on a cipher. He'd been so focused he'd ignored the slight pounding that was building in the back of his head, but it suddenly hit him hard. His eyes were tired from staring at a screen for eight hours a day for the past week. He pulled his glasses off and put them down on his desk, then he leaned back in his chair.

Annie walked up to the tech ops office and saw Auggie leaning back in his chair, eyes closed and his right hand rubbing the bridge of his nose. The set up on his desk had changed slightly. The refreshable Braille display was gone from under his keyboard, a mouse was attached to his computer and he had three big screens in front of him. She'd noticed that he seemed to be working even harder than before and he looked tired.

"Are you okay?" Annie asked, leaning against the doorframe of the door leading to the DPD bullpen.

Auggie opened his eyes and the sight of her brought a smile to his face.

"I'm fine, I was just so focused on this damn cipher that I forgot to give my eyes a break now and then. I have a headache."

"Oh, I came in here to ask you if you're coming to Allen's tonight, but I guess you're not up for it?"

"Sorry Annie, I'm not." Seeing the disappointment crossing her face Auggie sighed. They'd talked about going to Allen's on their way to work, and at the time he'd been all for it, but with the pounding in his head a crowded bar with rather loud music didn't sound all that tempting. "How about dinner at the bistro down the block from my apartment and then we can hang out at my place after?"

"Sounds like a great plan! I love that bistro; the food is to die for," Annie's mood perked up immediately. "Have you been overdoing the whole seeing thing this week?" she asked with a small laugh.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Watching screens for eight hours a day have been more straining than I thought it would be, I have to be better at letting my eyes rest a little throughout the day."

"I guess you'll just have to experiment a bit, to find out what works for you?"

"Yeah, it's what my doctor told me. It's just a matter of trial and error 'till I find out what works best. I'm thinking about setting up my old computer with the Braille display on the spare desk in the corner, just to read emails and stuff. Would give my eyes a break and keep my Braille skills sharp."

"Your Braille skills?"

"Yeah. Took a lot of hard work to learn Braille by touch, I don't want it to go to waste. Even if I can read print now and my doctor thinks my vision will stay pretty much as it is, there are no guarantees that I'll never need it again. I'd hate to have to go through that whole learning process all over again. And it might come in handy at restaurants with bad lighting."

"I didn't think about that," Annie said thoughtfully.

"And," Auggie added with a smirk. "I think being able to read in the dark is a cool skill."

"That it is," Annie agreed with a laugh. "Anyway, I'd better get back to work. Will you be ready to head out at five?"

"Yep, it's been pretty quiet today, shouldn't be a problem," Auggie said as he put his glasses back on and turned back to his computer. He really wanted to get the cipher done before he took off for the weekend, he knew himself well enough to know it would be in the back of his mind 'till he was finished with it. Annie smiled as she turned and went back to her desk, the sight of Auggie with horn-rimmed glasses studying the screen in front of him or reading something in a file was still kind of mindboggling to her.

* * *

A few hours later they were walking down the street towards the bistro down the block from Auggie's apartment. He looked over at her, she'd changed from the suit she'd worn to work into a floral summer dress and she'd let her hair down. He loved how it bounced around her shoulders.

"What?" she asked, realizing Auggie was looking at her.

"You're so pretty and that dress looks really good on you," he said with a smile.

"Thanks Auggie. You look good tonight too, some color looks good on you."

Auggie laughed, when he'd gone blind he'd taken the advice from his instructors in rehab and limited his wardrobe to a few matching colors to avoid looking like a fashion disaster. Now he was wearing an ultramarine blue polo shirt that enhanced his tan and a pair of beige slacks.

"Thanks. Impulse buy actually. I went over to Tyson's Corner to buy my niece a graduation present last week and in Macy's I passed a table filled with colorful polo shirts. Figured my wardrobe could use some color, it's pretty monochrome."

"You went to a mall?" Annie asked in disbelief. "I thought you hated malls."

"Never was a big fan of malls, but when I was blind they were an absolute nightmare. I could've done what I usually do and just ordered it online, but I actually enjoyed going to a store to pick it out myself."

Annie smiled. Auggie had been like a kid in a candy store lately, reclaiming every possible part of his sighted life.

When they approached the bistro Auggie grasped Annie's elbow, sensing her muscles tensing in surprise he figured he'd offer her an explanation.

"As I told you my night vision isn't all that great, and the place is dimly lit. I'd appreciate a little assistance so I don't bump into every table or chair in there."

"Sure Auggie, I just didn't think about it."

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A few minutes later they were seated by a table, both of them were perusing their menus. Auggie had asked for a large print menu when they were seated, but in the dim lighting of the restaurant it was just impossible for him to read print and his fingers were flying across a Braille menu.

"See, keeping my Braille sharp still comes in handy," Auggie said with a grin as he handed the menu back to the waitress that had taken their orders.

"Sure does. So, how are things going Auggie?"

"Never better. Glad to be back at work, I was getting restless from staying at home for two months. I have to try to get better at not straining my eyes. There's just no recipe for this, it's a matter of trial and error to find out what works for me."

"I'm so happy for you, I can't even imagine how much this means for you."

"Thanks Annie. It's still a bit surreal to me that I can see again."

"How did your family react to the news?"

"I haven't told them yet. I'm going home for my niece's graduation next weekend. Figured I'd surprise them."

"Are you sure you shouldn't warn them?"

"Nah, what's the fun in that?" Auggie said with a smirk. Annie just shook her head and giggled.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

When they walked back to Auggie's apartment a couple of hours later it was dark outside and Auggie grasped Annie's elbow again. He hadn't brought his cane with him since they'd agreed on going back to his place after their meal. In the early summer night it was still light enough for him to navigate with a bit of extra focus, but using Annie as his lead was second nature for him and it allowed him to chat with her rather than focusing on avoiding obstacles he'd have a hard time seeing.

When they entered the well-lit hallway in Auggie's apartment building he let go of her elbow and climbed the stairs a a few steps ahead of her and when he came to his door he unlocked it, slid it open and let Annie enter first. Auggie came in behind her and flipped the lights on before he closed and locked the door and slipped off his shoes.

"Want a beer?" he asked her as he headed for the fridge.

"Sure, thanks." Annie replied as she sat down on Auggie's couch. While he dove into the fridge to retrieve beers for them she glanced around his apartment. She hadn't been back since he'd told her the news about his sight three weeks earlier, then she'd been so distracted with Auggie's news that she hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings. Now she noticed the subtle changes; there was a stack of computer magazines on the coffee table, the Washington Post was sitting on the kitchen island and in general it wasn't so meticulously neat and organized as it had been. It was far from cluttered, but there was a definite change. When he closed the fridge door she noticed there was shopping list attached to it with a fridge magnet. It was no longer the home of a blind person.

Auggie joined her on the couch and handed her a beer.

"Thanks," she said as she grabbed the bottle from his outstretched hand and took a swig before she set it down on the coffee table.

"You really didn't tell your family you got your sight back?" Annie asked, the slight teasing tone in his voice earlier that night had her wondering if he was just messing with her.

"I really didn't. I dunno, it's not something I wanna say over the phone, I want to tell them in person. I haven't been able to go to Glencoe 'till now. I was in the hospital and rehab for about a month and I had several doctors appointments a week when I was discharged. To be honest the headaches were so bad for a while that traveling was the last thing I wanted to do."

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm sure they'll be over the moon happy for you."

"They probably will. I wonder how they'll react though, I'm kind of nervous about it."

"It'll be fine, stop worrying. They're family Auggie, why would they be anything but happy for you?"

"I know. Come to think of it, I've never seen my youngest niece and nephew. They're twins and they were born while I was in Iraq. The other kids knew me when I could still see, but the youngest ones were toddlers when I lost my sight, I doubt they remember me seeing," Auggie mused. "I'm sure they'll miss my light saber."

"Huh?" Annie was confused.

"My cane. The first time I was at home after I lost my sight one of my nephews named it 'Uncle Auggie's light saber'. Every time I've been home he's dragged some of his friends over to meet his uncle that uses a light saber to stay safe when he walks around."

"Well, it's not completely gone, you still have to use it when it's dark outside, right?"

"Yeah. I wish I didn't, makes me feel so blind again. Truth is I AM pretty blind when it's dark, so there's no way around it. I don't wanna get myself hurt. I feel silly for feeling self conscious about it, but I guess it's because I can see the blasted thing now," Auggie said with a shrug, glancing over to the cane that was in it's customary spot on the table across from the door.

"I guess. But Auggie," Annie said in a soft, warm tone. "Stop worrying so much and just enjoy what you have now, ok? Do you have any plans this weekend?"

He nodded. "Not really. I'm more tired from work than I thought I'd be, I need some rest."

"We both have the weekend off if national security doesn't interfere. Call me if you feel like doing something, okay? It's getting late, I should head home," Annie said as she drained the last of her beer.

"I'll call you tomorrow, ok? I plan on sleeping 'till I wake up, no alarm. Don't expect an early morning phone call."

"I'm planning on sleeping in too. Thanks for tonight Auggie, it was nice."

"Ditto," Auggie replied as he escorted Annie to the door. She slipped her sandals back on and grabbed her bag.

"Talk to you tomorrow then," she said as she opened the door. In a spur of the moment she planted a soft kiss on Auggie's cheek.

"Yeah..tomorrow," he choked out, stunned from the sudden act of affection. He watched Annie walk down the hall and when she disappeared down the stairs he finally shook himself back to reality and closed and locked his door. The kiss had him wondering if it was possible that Annie's feelings for him went beyond friendship too.

* * *

**The next chapter is in the works and I hope to have it published by Sunday.**

**It's about Auggie's trip to see his family in Glencoe.**

**Still with me? Yay or nay?**

**Hit the button and let me know, please :o)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you SO much for the reviews & alerts. So sorry for not replying to the reviews, I'm just super busy these days. I hardly have time to read or write. Work is crazy and with one co-worker on sick leave and one on vacation it's even worse... :o/**

**This chapter is a bit shorter than I wanted it to be, but it was a natural place to stop. I hope to have the next chapter up soon. Hopefully by mid-week.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie. Just my storyline.**

* * *

**-Chapter 4-**

As Auggie left the plane and walked towards baggage claim at O'Hare he felt like he had butterflies the size of eagles fluttering around in his stomach. He couldn't help feeling slightly nervous about his family's reaction to his news. He had no reason to think they'd be anything but happy for him, but he wasn't sure how they'd react to the fact that he'd kept it from then for almost four months. He entered the baggage claim area and dug around in his messenger bag for his glasses. He put them on and checked the screens to see what luggage carousel his bag would be arriving on.

* * *

Jillian Anderson rushed into the baggage claims area, parking had been a nightmare and after several attempts to find a parking space they'd decided that Andrew should circle the pickup area while she went in to meet Auggie. As she approached the information screens to check which carousel his luggage would be on she stopped in her tracks. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her youngest son walked towards the information screens alone, no Travellers Assistance staff or cane in sight. A few steps later he stopped and appeared to be searching his brown leather messenger bag for something. When he withdrew what appeared to be an eyeglass case and put on a pair of horn rimmed glasses she couldn't hold back a very audible gasp.

* * *

Just as Auggie was about to take off his glasses and put them back in their case he heard a familiar gasp behind him and he turned around to find himself face to face with his mother. She was standing a few feet in front of him, with a look of wonder, happiness and shock on her face.

"Mom!" Auggie said and walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Good to see you."

Jillian wrapped her arms firmly around Auggie's waist and pulled him in for a long hug, burying her face on his shoulder. Auggie felt his t-shirt get moist from his mothers tears of happiness. A few minutes later she finally pulled back and looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

"Good to see you too son," she said huskily, barely above a whisper. "When? How?"

"Kind of a long story Mom. Let me grab my bag and I'll tell you in the car, ok? Oh, where's Dad by the way? I thought you said both of you were picking me up."

"In the car waiting for us. Parking was a nightmare, so he's circling the pickup area."

"Looks like the bags from my flight is coming now," Auggie said as the carousel began to move and he walked toward it. His mother followed close behind, still in a daze.

* * *

Andrew Anderson had been circling the pickup area outside O'Hare for about 20 minutes when a short-term parking space finally opened up. He pulled his BMW X-5 into it, turned off the ignition and stepped out to wait for his wife and youngest son to appear. A few minutes later he saw a familiar head of unruly brown hair in the crowd. As they got closer his jaw dropped. Auggie was wearing a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and he wasn't holding on to his mother's elbow or using a cane to navigate. He noticed his wife's eyes were red rimmed, it looked like she'd been crying. He was glad he'd managed to park the car; otherwise he might have crashed into something upon the shock seeing that his youngest son had regained his sight.

* * *

Auggie walked through the crowds at O'Hare, lightly chatting with his mother about what his brothers and their families were up to. He could tell she was dying know the story behind his regaining his sight, but he'd firmly told her that he wanted to his father to be present as well. As they excited the terminal his mother stopped briefly to scan the area in front of them before she veered to the left. A few seconds later Auggie spotted is father. He'd obviously seen him first and was looking at him with shock written all over his face, then a wide smile spread across his face. A few moments later his father embraced him.

"Hi Dad, how's it hangin'?" Auggie asked as they broke the embrace.

"What the hell Auggie? How can you act like nothing is out of the ordinary? Why didn't you tell us? When did this happen?" his father spat out, sounding aggravated, a 180 degree turn from his warm embrace just moments before. Auggie had prepared for hostility.

"I'm sorry Dad. I didn't wanna tell you over the phone and I haven't had the opportunity to come here 'till now. I'll tell you everything. Why don't we head to Glencoe? Which car is yours?"

"The black BMW X5 over there," Andrew said gesturing towards his car.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Five minutes later they were settled into the car, heading towards Glencoe. His parents were in the front seats.

"Spill it son," Andrew said firmly.

"About a year ago my eye doctor mentioned that I might be a candidate for some experimental stem cell treatments that might fix the damage on my eyes. I went in for a battery of tests, but unfortunately I wasn't a candidate for any treatments at the time. I was disappointed. More disappointed than I thought I'd be, but I swallowed the disappointment and went on with my life. Didn't hear from Dr. Kessle again 'till he called me about four months ago and told me I was a perfect candidate for a new treatment. Within a week I was admitted to a hospital and treated. It all went so fast. Needless to say the treatment was successful. More than they expected. I was the first completely blind patient they tried it on and they had no idea what I might get from it."

"Looks like it was a success," Andrew stated as he focused on the road.

"It was. I haven't got 20/20 vision back, far from it, but I can move around in daylight without a cane or guide. With the aid of proper lighting and glasses I can read regular print, I can actually watch TV again and I can use a computer without adaptive tech. I don't see well enough to drive again and I still have to use a cane when it's dark."

"You were treated almost four months ago?" Jillian asked. Hurt and anger were evident in her voice.

"Yes Mom. I'm really sorry for not telling you sooner. I was hospitalized and in rehab for about a month. Took my brain quite a while to adapt to seeing again. I had killer headaches for the first few months; still get them if I strain my eyes too much. I just didn't feel like travelling, it was the last thing I wanted to do, and I wanted to tell you in person. Please don't be mad at me," he pleaded. He was met with silence. His father focused on driving and his mother looked straight ahead. Auggie sighed. His parents were more hurt than he'd expected. Although they both seemed happy about him regaining his sight they were hurt he hadn't included them in what he was going through. He had some fences to mend over the following days and he prayed that the rest of the family would be easier to deal with.

* * *

**So...what do you think about Auggie's parents reactions?**

**What you expected? Too harsh?**

**Please leave a review to let me know. :o)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts :o)**

**Glad my my take on Auggie's parents reaction was so well received, it just didn't feel right for them to be all happy and accepting that he'd kept it from them for so long. There had to be some hurt and anger there I think.**

**A few of you have expressed via review or PM that you're disappointed that I didn't let Annie go with Auggie. I considered it, but decided against it. This is a family event, and A&A are still just friends, although they're both experiencing feelings beyond friendship, those feelings will be explored in later chapters. As you see in this chapter Auggie does turn to Annie for support :o)**

**Is anyone else excited about season 3? I know I am! I'm especially looking forward to the 2nd episode. A&A on a mission in Barcelona, posing as a married couple. The promo pics looks great. :o) (They're on the SpoilerTV website if you haven't seen them.)**

**DISCLAMIER: The usual. I don't own anything. Not Covert Affairs, not Auggie or Annie. Just my own storyline. **

* * *

**-Chapter 5-**

As Auggie unpacked his suitcase and got settled into his room a million thoughts were rattling through his head. As much as both of his parents seemed happy for him it was obvious that they were hurt and angry that he'd waited so long to share the news. He regretted being so adamant about telling them in person, if he'd just picked up the damn phone a few months back he wouldn't be in this situation. He looked out the window; it was early afternoon, and a beautiful, sunny late summer day. He decided to go for a walk to clear his head. Auggie gathered his iPhone, a few 10 dollar bills, the keys to his parent's house and his sunglasses and headed downstairs.

* * *

"Where are you going?" his mother asked sharply as he approached the front door.

"For a walk. I need to clear my head. I might go over to Matt's place."

"I'll have dinner ready at seven, all of your brothers and their families will be here," his mother said and walked back into the kitchen. His father was probably sulking in his office.

* * *

Ten minutes later Auggie found himself sitting on a bench in the park a couple of blocks from his parents' house. He dug his iPhone out of his pocket and quickly dialed Annie's number. To his knowledge she had the weekend off and he hoped she had the time to talk for a few minutes.

"Hi Auggie, how's Glencoe?" she greeted him.

"Hey there," he sighed. "Not too god I'm afraid. Not telling them was a big mistake. Dad's pissed, sulking in his office, and Mom's hurt and hardly speaking to me."

"Oh Auggie, I'm so sorry. Where are you now?"

"I had to get out of the house so I decided to go for a walk. I'm in the park a couple of blocks from my parents' house. My brother Matt lives a few blocks away, but I'm not sure I can deal with more hostility right now. Can't avoid it for too much longer though, all of my brothers and their families are coming over for dinner tonight. Right now I'm tempted to grab my suitcase and head back to DC."

"Give them some time to process it. This is probably the biggest news you've sprung on them since you lost your sight, I bet it's kind of a shock."

"Still…" Auggie said with an exasperated sigh. He didn't know what to say. He had been somewhat prepared for it, but it was still a disappointment.

"Auggie! Go see Matt, he's the one you're closest to, right?"

"Mhmm…" Auggie replied. "Yeah, we're pretty close, which is why he'll probably be just as pissed as Mom and Dad. I'm starting to realize that not involving my family has been a major fuck-up…"

"I doubt he'll be as angry and hurt as your parents and I think it's worth a try. You do need someone on your side right now; give it a try, ok? And if what you've told me is true, you're not very close to your other brothers; I doubt they'll be angry. They probably wouldn't expect you to include them anyway."

Auggie let another heavy sigh escape him. Annie was right; he did need someone on his side. He chatted with Annie for a couple of minutes and then he rose from his seat on the bench and started walking towards Matt's house.

* * *

Back in the Anderson home Andrew was sitting in his office, trying to read through some paperwork for a case he was working on without success. His mind kept drifting back to the news his youngest son had sprung on him a few hours before. A light knock on the door pulled him back to the present.

"Yes?"

The door opened and his wife stepped in to the room.

"Can we talk for a minute?" she asked, he noticed her eyes were red rimmed.

"Sure. I have a feeling this is about Auggie's news?"

"It's just a lot to take in and I don't understand why he didn't let us know what was going on until now. It's been four months. That's a long time."

"I know," Andrew sighed. "But after thinking about it for a while I've come to realize that Auggie have always been very independent, and for the past five years he's been working so hard to prove to everyone he's still capable of living independently. He also resents pity. I bet he wanted to find out if it worked or not before telling anyone that he'd gone through the treatment."

"You're right. It still hurts that he wouldn't let us be there for him. We're his parents Andrew. I can understand that he didn't want his co-workers and acquaintances knowing about it but us? That's different I think."

"I agree Jill, but I'm starting to think that what's done is done. We can't turn back time."

"I know, you're right."

"Where's Auggie now? In his room?"

"No, he left about an hour or so ago. Said he was going for a walk. He looked sad and upset, said he needed to clear his head and that he might be going over to Matt's place. I told him everyone is coming here for dinner at seven."

"He'll be back before seven, let him have some time alone or with Matt. Our reaction probably surprised him. Hell, I surprised myself. I'm ecstatic that Auggie has some of his sight back, it's the best news I've had in years, I just got so pissed when he revealed he'd kept it from us for so long."

"Me too. And I'm hurt that he didn't let me be there for him while he was going through the treatments. From the little he told us in the car it was far from a picnic."

"I know Jill. I wish he'd included us in what was going on too, but for some reason he chose not to. Let's go downstairs and prepare the barbecue. We'll have plenty of time to talk with Auggie tomorrow before Christine's graduation and on Sunday before he leaves. He said he's got an evening flight back to DC."

* * *

Auggie felt so nervous he was slightly queasy as he pushed Matt's doorbell. He looked around the well-manicured front yard of his slightly older brothers house, its immaculate appearance surprised him. Growing up Matt had always resented yard work and he'd usually paid Auggie to take over his lawn mowing duties. Before he had time to become more nervous the door opened, revealing Matt, with a big smile on his face as he pulled Auggie in for a hug.

"Auggie! How are you? Who brought you over here?"

"Hi Matt. I'm good, but I need some brotherly advice right now. I might have screwed up royally with Mom and Dad. And potentially the rest of the family, I guess I'll find out about that in a couple of hours."

Matt didn't say anything; he just studied Auggie's face for a few seconds. Then he noticed he wasn't using a cane. A questioning smile spread across his face. Auggie nodded and Matt wrapped his arms around him for a second time.

"Holy shit Auggie. This is some news. You can see again?"

"Yes, at least a little. It's a long story. Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure," Matt said, taking a step back to let Auggie enter.

"Nice place you've got here Matt," Auggie said as he followed Matt to the kitchen. He'd been in his brother's house several times, but he'd never seen it before. "Where's Susannah?"

"Out shopping with some of her friends. Said she'd come straight to the barbecue at Mom and Dads. Want a beer? Or are you driving?"

"I'm not driving, still don't see well enough to do that. A beer would be nice."

Matt pulled two beers from the fridge and they settled down on the back porch of his house.

"So, care to tell me what's happening?" Matt asked Auggie after they'd both taken a couple of long swigs of their beers.

"Remember I told you about the experimental treatments I wasn't a candidate for last year?"

"Yeah, I remember," Matt nodded.

"Well about four months ago my eye doctor called me. They were doing another trial and this time I was a perfect candidate. He told me they'd had very good results on patients with injuries similar to mine, but with partial sight. I was the first completely blind person they tried it on and they had no idea what kind of results they'd get. There really weren't any risks, couldn't go more blind than I already was. Joan was in an understanding mood and granted me a 3-month medical leave on just a few days notice. It all happened so fast. Before I knew it I was admitted and treated. The first few weeks were hell; my brain had a hard time adjusting to seeing again. The headaches were worse than the ones I had right after Tikrit."

"How much sight did you regain?"

"Enough to walk around in daylight without a cane, I can read print, watch TV and use a computer without adaptive tech. I just need reading glasses and proper lighting. I still need my cane or a guide in the dark. My night vision is close to zero. Braille still comes in handy at dimly lit restaurants."

"So, driving again is out of the question?"

"Yeah, I don't see well enough to get my license back."

"What a bout work? Still doing Tech Ops?"

"Yeah, but it's ok. I don't fill the sight requirement to be a fully authorized field officer; Joan has promised me that I'll get to do some fieldwork though. It'll be decided on a mission to mission basis."

"That's good news then, I know how you've been itching to get out of the office from time to time."

"I have. But the desk job is actually a bit more interesting when I can see again; being able to monitor the screens myself has added a new layer to it. I've only been back for a couple of weeks, but so far I'm having fun."

"I'm so happy for you Aug, I really am. I just don't understand why you haven't told me or the rest of the family sooner?" There was a tinge of hurt in Matt's voice.

Auggie took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts before speaking.

"As I said, it all happened so fast. I really wanted to tell you guys in person, then time just passed and… I'm sorry for not telling you sooner Matt, I really am. I realize I fucked up big time."

"Don't worry bro, I understand. Want another beer?"

"Sure," Auggie handed his Matt his empty bottle and as he went inside Auggie let a sigh of relief escape. At least he had one person on his side.

* * *

**Looks like Auggies family is coming around, right?**

**Next chapter will be up sometime closer to the weekend.**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think and that you're still with me.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks again for the reviews and alerts. Love them :o)**

**Here's another chapter, I hope you like it.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs, just my story line.**

* * *

**-Chapter 6-**

As Auggie entered his parent's house he braced himself. The family would be arriving an hour later and he needed to freshen up a bit before dinner. He knew his mother didn't see worn jeans and concert t-shirts as appropriate attire for anything. Just as he started to climb the stairs his mother came from the kitchen.

"Auggie, can you come into the kitchen? Dad and I would like to have a word with you before the rest of the family arrived," she said softly. The harshness was gone from her voice.

"Yeah, sure," Auggie said as he turned around and followed his mother into the huge kitchen of his childhood home. His father was sitting in his customary chair at the end of the long kitchen table.

"Have a seat Auggie," he said as Auggie entered the room. Auggie felt a bit like he was back in high school and had been caught breaking his curfew. He quietly sat down a couple of chairs down from his father and waited for him to speak. After a few moments of tense silence Andrew spoke.

"First of all, both your mother and I are beyond happy that you've regained some of your sight Auggie. We really are, it's the best news we've had in years. What we're hurt and a bit angry about is that you didn't let us know what was going on. It's been four months and you're telling us now? Why didn't you let us be there for you in the hospital?"

Auggie took a deep breath before answering. His father was reaching out and he didn't want to screw it up by saying something stupid.

"It all happened so fast, I barely had time to think. From Dr. Kessle called me 'till I was treated it was barely a week. I wanted to see if it worked before I told anyone, to get over the disappointment if it didn't work on my own. You know how I can't stand pity. Then it worked, and things were kind of a blur while I was in the hospital. I had the worst headaches I've ever experienced, I was barely functioning at times. I wasn't thinking clearly. After I was discharged the headaches were persistent, I had to go into the hospital several times a week for tests and follow ups for the trial. I really wanted to tell you in person, didn't know how to tell you over the phone. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, I didn't intend to. I wish I could turn the clock back, but I can't."

"It's ok Auggie. What's done is done. We're your parents, we love you and care about you and would really like to know what's going on in your life, ok?" his mother said with a small smile.

"I'll work on that. I know I'm not always good at keeping in touch," Auggie responded, relieved that his parents seemed to becoming around.

His father rose from his seat and placed a hand on Auggie's shoulder.

"Good. With the air cleared I think it's time we start enjoying this weekend, it's not that often we have the pleasure of your company Auggie."

"Sounds good to me Dad," Auggie said with a smile as he rose from his seat. "I need to freshen up a bit and change my clothes before dinner."

* * *

Half an hour later Auggie had changed into a pair of dark jeans and a turquoise polo shirt. There were voices in the foyer, it sounded like most of his brothers and their families had turned up at the same time. Auggie hesitated to go downstairs; he wasn't sure how he should break his news to them. He decided to wait until it sounded like they'd all arrived, that way he'd be able to speak to them all together. His phone alerting him of an incoming text was a welcome distraction. He quickly put on his reading glasses and read it.

It was from Annie: _"Worried about u. Did u go to see your brother? How did it go? U ok?"_

Auggie quickly replied: _"I'm fine. Matt a bit shocked, but we're cool. Cleared the air w Mom/Dad. Now the rest of the family is here. Gotta deal w them now."_

A few moments later Annie replied: _"Thinking about u. Let me know how it turns out, ok? Good luck. TTYL :)"_

Auggie was about to reply when a rap on his door got his attention.

"Yes?"

The door opened and Matt entered the room

"Why are you hiding up here? Everyone's downstairs, food's just about ready. We're just waiting for you."

Auggie sighed.

"Nerves. Not sure how to break the news to them."

"Just tell them. C'mon, I'm hungry and Dad's ready to start grilling."

Auggie followed Matt downstairs; the entire family was already seated around the big table on the deck. Auggie noticed they were staring at him as he walked straight to an empty seat between his mother and Matt's wife Susannah without any cues or assistance. Matt took a seat beside his wife. Auggie remained standing. "Here it goes," he thought as he looked around his family and cleared his throat. Seeing them again made all kinds of emotions wash through him.

"I've got some news, and judging from the looks on your faces most of you have already figured it out. About four months ago I was part of a medical trial, I had stem cells surgically injected into my eyes, hoping to get some. It worked."

Gasps of shock reached his ears and he could see the smiles spreading across their faces. Finally his oldest brother, Steven, found his voice.

"You have your sight back? You...you can see again?"

"I have some sight back. I see well enough to move around without a cane in when it's light, but my night vision is virtually nothing. I still need a cane when it's dark. I can read print again and use a computer without adaptive tech; I just need correct lighting and reading glasses. My Braille skills still comes in handy at dimly lit restaurants though," he said with a smile as he sat down.

"Wow Auggie, that's fantastic. I'm so happy for you," Steven said. The rest of the family echoed his statement. To Auggie's relief no one seemed take notice of the fact that he'd withheld it from them for months.

* * *

Late Sunday evening Auggie arrived back in DC. After grabbing his bag he headed for the taxicab stand to get a car to take him home. Just as he reached the door his iPhone started warbling in his pocket. It was Annie. He answered the phone quickly.

"Hi Annie, you miss me?" he teased.

"Yes, I actually do miss you Auggie. Where are you?"

"At Reagan. I was just headed out to get a cab to take me home."

"Walk over to the pick up area, I'm about five minutes out."

"What? You don't have to do that, I'll take a cab."

"Just get your ass to the pickup lane Auggie. I'm almost there."

With that Annie hung up. Auggie shook his head as he put the phone back into his pocket. It was pretty dark outside and the lighting wasn't all that great, so he took the belt and suspenders approach and got his cane out of his messenger bag. A few minutes later he was half leaning on his cane when Annie pulled up in front of him. After a quick hug and loading his bags into the trunk of the 'Vette they were on their way to Auggie's apartment in Adams Morgan.

"So, how was the rest of the weekend? I didn't hear much from you after Friday."

"It was good. My niece's graduation and the party after took up most of Saturday. We had a big family brunch this morning and I spent the afternoon playing a round of golf at the country club with Dad and a couple of my brothers. It was fun, haven't done that in years, for obvious reasons. I still don't see well enough to have much of a game, but with a little guidance the others it wasn't a complete disaster. After we got the air cleared on Friday things were really good."

"Glad to hear it. You had me worried on Friday."

"I had myself worried on Friday," Auggie said with a soft chuckle. "I can't really explain it, but it felt good to be part of things again. Don't get me wrong, they've tried to include me as much as possible for the past few years, but there's a difference between tagging along to the golf course and actually playing."

"I get that."

"So, enough about me and my family drama, what have you been up to this weekend?"

"Not much. Mostly holding Danielle's hand, so-to-speak. Her divorce is turning out to be a really messy affair and Michael is being a real dick. Danielle might have to move, but it's in their pre-nuptial agreement that in case of a divorce she and the girls gets to stay 'till both girls graduate high school. Apparently Michael has found some sort of a loophole or something. Danielle got a letter from his lawyer yesterday."

"Oh, sorry to hear that. How are Chloe and Katia holding up?"

"They're okay. Michael's been working in LA for much of the past year, so they're used to him not being around all the time. It's not that much of a change for them, unless they have to move." Annie let out a heavy sigh as she turned onto Auggie's street.

"Here we are then," Annie said as she pulled up to the curb and stopped the car. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Auggie, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, you know you can ask me anything," he replied with a smile.

"What happened to Parker? You never said anything when you came back from Africa."

"It's over. We tried long distance for a while, but it just didn't work out. I think we both came to realize that her brother was what brought us together, that we weren't in love. We're still friends and keep in touch via Facebook and Twitter. Why?"

"Auggie, I need to tell you something. Something I've wanted to tell you since the day you gave me this car," Annie paused to gather her thoughts. She'd worked her little speech out in her head, but now, with Auggie sitting next to her with an expectant look on his face, it was suddenly hard.

"What Annie?" he prompted.

"When I was in Stockholm with Danielle she said something that got me to realize that my feelings for you are deeper than just friendship, that I care about you as more than a friend. I was ready to come clean that day by the car, but then you were all set on going to Africa, after Parker. I wasn't smiling at all that day, I was on the verge of tears."

"Wow…" Auggie breathed out. He was lost for words after Annie's confession.

"Listen to me; you're my best friend. The best friend I've ever had. I can't lose you, I don't want to lose you, so if you don't share those feelings, please forget I ever said anything."

Auggie still didn't know what to say, so he responded in the only way he could think of, he pulled Annie in for a kiss.

* * *

**As always - the muse loves reviews.**

**Keeps her happy and the updates coming.**

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	7. Chapter 7

**First: Thanks for the reviews and alerts. As always greatly appreciated. :o)**

**Leaving you with that cliffie was sort of mean, I know... ;o) But hey, sometimes I like being a bit mean. LOL *evil grin***

**Struggled a bit with this chapter, but with some help from a friend it finally came together today. **

**Anyone else getting excited about the next season? The new promo that came out last week and the pics from the first two episodes have me on the edge of my seat. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas and all the teasing from Chris Gorham and the rest of the Covert Affairs gang on Twitter isn't making the wait shorter. Can't wait for July 10th, well actually I'll have to wait 'till it becomes available on iTunes on the 11th since I'm not in the US. Ah well, still super excited.**

**DISCLAIMER: As usual; don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs. Just my storyline.**

* * *

**-Chapter 7-**

When Annie and Auggie pulled apart after kiss that started tentatively and ended rather passionately Annie was stunned by what she saw in his eyes stunned her; they were sparkling with love and happiness.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while now," he said with a wide smile.

"Really? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Wanna come upstairs with me? I think we should talk and we'd be more comfortable on my couch."

Annie hesitated for a second, it was a work night and it was getting late.

"Annie, please." The pleading tone in Auggies voice and the look in his eyes won her over.

As they climbed the stairs to his apartment Auggie tried to gather his thoughts and figure out how to explain his feelings. He decided to lay it all out there, be completely honest. It wasn't something he normally did, he usually kept things close to the vest. He was a private person by nature and then he'd gone through years on training in secrecy, but Annie was special and he wanted her to know the truth.

Ten minutes later they were settled across from each other on Auggie's couch.

"Ever since I was blinded I've had this little bit of self doubt lingering in the back of my mind. The knowledge that as much as I wanted to be independent, I'd always be somewhat dependent on other people. I knew there always would be situations where I'd need assistance; whether it was sighted guide in unfamiliar places, reading a menu when there's no Braille menu available, cuing me to what's on my plate… Well, you've known me long enough to know what I'm talking about." Auggie paused and took a swig of his beer before he continued. "My constant bed-hopping was a way for me to prove to myself that I was still attractive, despite being 'flawed'." Auggie air-quoted the word flawed. "The aforementioned self-doubt held me back from committing to a relationship, I didn't want to burden anyone, convinced myself that I'd settle for picking up co-eds at the tavern. At least they satisfied my libido." Auggie hung his head in embarrassment; he didn't dare to look at Annie. He felt her hand grab his, giving it an encouraging squeeze.

"Then you came into my life. My first thought when Joan assigned me to meet you and show you around was that I'd have you in my bed by the end of the week. Didn't take me long to realize you were special. The way you treated me like an equal; you never made a fuss about having a blind guy as your handler. God knows I'd dealt with plenty of field officers that weren't very happy to have me assigned as their handler and only accepted it after a proper dress-down by Joan. I think part of me fell in love with you when you asked me about my headphones, not my useless eyes. I knew you were beautiful; Conrad's obvious come-ons the first day and then reactions you got from men later told me that. I figured that someone like you wouldn't want to be with a blind guy, hell, you could have anyone, why pick the blind guy? I settled for friendship. Our friendship soon became one of the most important relationships in my life and whenever the other feelings threatened to surface I pushed them away."

"Oh Auggie, I'm not sure if I should be flattered or insulted," Annie said. "I guess a little bit of both."

"Why would you be insulted?"

"Because you'd think I wouldn't want to be with you because you were blind. I've never thought of you that way, to me you've always been Auggie. I've never thought of you as 'the blind guy', you should know that."

"I know that Annie, but part of me wouldn't let me believe it. Stupid I know. I actually considered asking you out a few times, but before I managed to work up the courage something always got in the way. First it was Ben's return, and then Scott came along. When I learned you'd ended that relationship I'd met Parker and I connected with her on a level I hadn't connected with anyone for a long time. I fell for her fast and hard, took me six months and a trip to Eritrea to realize that it wasn't viable. Our main connection was our grief over Billy and we're better off as friends." Auggie paused for another swig of his beer. "When I saw you for the first time all the feelings I'd buried for so long started to surface again, you were just as beautiful as I imagined and combined with the inner beauty I know you have I had a hard time burying the feelings this time. I just didn't know how to approach you about it."

Before Annie could answer both their iPhones chirped with incoming text messages. They were both ordered to be at Langley at 7:30 the next morning for a mission briefing. Annie checked the time, it was past midnight and as much as she wanted to stay she knew it was time to head home. She wouldn't really mind doing a walk of shame with Auggie, but the jeans and Georgetown t-shirt she wore didn't exactly meet the Agency's dress code. She moved closer to Auggie and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. When they pulled apart they were both panting. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, resting their foreheads against each other.

"I'll pick you up at 6:45 tomorrow, ok?" Annie asked. She knew she had to leave, but lingered as long as possible.

"Sounds good to me. I'll be ready," Auggie said as he stood and pulled Annie up with him. They walked to the door and before he let Annie out he pulled her in for another passionate kiss. It took a lot of self-control to leave it at kissing and not pull her into his bedroom. That would have to wait.

* * *

Auggie didn't sleep much that night. He couldn't believe that Annie shared his feelings and he wondered what the mission briefing they'd been called into was all about. He hoped it meant that he was going out into the field. At 5:30 he finally gave up any hope of getting more sleep and got out of bed. Part of him just wanted to crawl back under the covers, four hours of sleep wasn't enough, but it would have to do. He quickly went to the kitchen and started a pot of extra strong coffee; he needed the caffeine, before heading to the bathroom for a long, warm shower. He was on his third cup of coffee when someone knocked on the door at 6:15. It was Annie.

"Good morning," she said cheerily as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

"That's a greeting I can get used to," Auggie said with a grin as they pulled apart.

"I bet you can. Do I smell coffee?" Annie asked.

"Yep, do you want some?"

"Definitely. I'm desperate for some caffeine."

Auggie poured her a cup and set it in front of her.

"There you go. Do you want sugar or cream today?"

"No, black's fine. Thanks Auggie."

* * *

As soon as they stepped through the heavy glass doors of the DPD at 7:25 in the morning Joan summoned them to her office. Auggie was elated to learn that he was indeed going into the field, sanctioned. They were going to rendezvous with a local asset that had important intel for them. Their cover would be as a wealthy married couple made them both smile a little broader than normal. Joan noticed and looked at them with a questioning look on her face. Auggie nodded affirmatively.

"Well then, you shouldn't have any trouble playing a newly married wealthy couple on their first vacation together."

"I think we'll be able to pull it of just fine," Auggie said. "Where are we going and when?"

"You're going to Stockholm. You're a genealogy buff looking into your ancestry there. Anderson is a very common Swedish name, so it's a perfect cover. The asset is a professor at the University of Stockholm and you'll be contacting him for help with your research. It should be a pretty straightforward mission. The details are in your folders. You leave tomorrow morning, so Auggie you need to get your team ready to cover for you while you're gone."

"They're always ready for that, but I'll double check that they're up to speed on everything."

"Good," Joan said dismissively and turned her attention to her computer. She tried to best to stay professional and cool, but she was happy that Annie and Auggie had finally realized how they felt for each other. She'd been wondering when that would happen.

* * *

Two days later Annie and Auggie were in Stockholm. To their surprise they had a room at the Grand Hotel, a 5-star hotel with a view across the water to the Royal Palace and Old Town. Annie and Auggie's room had a view of the backyard, but they made sure to snatch a table by the window when they had breakfast the first day. They'd arrived in Stockholm close to midnight the previous day and had barely managed to change into their sleepwear before they fell asleep in each other's arms. They were scheduled to meet their asset the following day, so they solidified their cover by playing tourists for the day. Auggie had never been to Stockholm before and Annie took the part of tour guide in a stride.

"This is place is really something else, it's a shame it's filled with all these tacky souvenir stores," Auggie noted as they strolled to Old Town before lunch.

"I know, but I still like the quaint buildings and the cobblestoned streets. I just try to ignore the tourist trap part of it," Annie replied. They enjoyed a quiet lunch at a small Italian restaurant and spent the afternoon at the Vasa museum. Annie had wanted to go there when she was in Stockholm with Danielle, but they'd never made it. When they got back to the hotel in the afternoon they were tired and decided to take a nap before going out for dinner. It was close to 8 at night when they woke up, what they'd intended to be a one hour nap had turned in to close to three hours in bed. They were bot a bit jet lagged and quickly freshened up and decided to splurge on dinner in the hotel restaurant and a couple of drinks in the bar afterwards. Neither of them felt like going out to search for a place to have dinner. When Annie asked Auggie how he'd get the bill approved by accounting he smiled mischievously and said he had it covered.

The next day they headed over to the University of Stockholm to meet their asset. He handed off the intel without incidents and Annie and Auggie were back in DC on Friday. They went to Langley to debrief and Joan gave them both orders that she didn't want to see them in the office until Wednesday.

* * *

Auggie invited Annie to stay with him for the next few days, an invitation she eagerly accepted. The thought of spending four days with Auggie, just the two of them brought a smile to her face as she packed a bag to take over to his place. She felt a bit bad for not spending time with Danielle and the girls, but her eagerness to spend time with Auggie won over her guilty conscience.

"Auggie, can I ask you something?" Annie asked tentatively as they had dinner Saturday evening. An idea had been forming in her head, but she was unsure of how to broach the subject.

"Sure, I've already told you that you can ask me anything," he replied with a smile.

"You said you don't see well enough to get your drivers license back, but what about just driving on a track? Could you do that?"

"I guess I could, not sure I'd want to though. Why?"

Annie was slightly surprised by Auggie's unenthusiastic answer, but carried on.

"A friend of a friend owns a race track outside Virginia Beach. I thought we could rent it for a few hours and you could take the 'Vette for a spin."

Auggie sighed and leaned back in his chair, not sure how to explain his feelings to Annie. He'd entertained the idea of renting a track himself, but he wasn't sure he wanted to remind himself of what he was missing out of on a daily basis. He didn't want to come off as whiny so he paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.

"I've had the same idea, but I'm not sure that I want to. Part of me is dying to drive the 'Vette, I know I'd probably have a great time. At the same time I'm thinking I should let go. I'm not sure I want to remind myself of what I'm missing out on. I'm afraid that if I get behind the wheel on a track I'll start longing go on road trips again. It took me a long time to not miss driving when I was blinded and it took me a while to work through the disappointment when it became clear that I hadn't regained enough sight to get my drivers license back. It was one of the things I really hoped to get back."

"Oh, I didn't think of that. Sorry Auggie, I won't bring it up again, but if you change your mind let me know, ok?"

"Thanks Annie," Auggie said quietly, giving her hand a squeeze. Then he added in a lighter tone; "For now I'm content with being in the right seat with you behind the wheel. You're one hell of a driver Walker. Now, shall we enjoy one of the movies we rented?"

* * *

**So...A&A are together and Auggie has been on his first mission after getting his sight back...**

**I'm not really sure what to do next, this story started as a one-shot and I haven't  
****got a storyline for much more figured out. I still don't feel like it's complete though.**

**So, dear reader, do you have any ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions?**

**Push the review button and let me know. :o)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts :o)**

**Seems like I'm on a little 'wrap-things-up' roll this weekend. As I said in the AN after the previous chapter I really didn't know what more to add to this story, getting this chapter together was sort of a challenge, but here it is. The final chapter of this little story.**

**Only a couple of days to go before season 3 is here! YAY! :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: As always I don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs.**

* * *

Three months after returning to work Christmas was approaching and Auggie had been given more fieldwork than he'd expected. After his initial mission to Stockholm with Annie he'd been to London, Brussels and Johannesburg on solo missions, and on another mission with Annie. This time they'd been on a two-week mission in Budapest. To their pleasure they'd had some free time while waiting for the asset to contact them and they'd managed to see quite a lot of the city. Now he was on his way home from another mission, his hardest and most challenging so far. He'd spent the past week in Rome and was glad to be heading home. He struggled to get comfortable in his seat; whishing the Agency would at least allow him to fly business class. Coach was just too cramped for his long legs, and his bruised ribs didn't make it easier to get comfortable. He checked the time. Three hours and he'd be at Dulles. Annie had promised to come pick him up and he couldn't wait to see her again. Their relationship had been growing steadily stronger over the past couple of months.

"Aaaaggeeee…" Annie's squeal caught Auggie's attention before he saw her. Before he fully realized what happened Annie had thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him senseless.

"I guess you're happy to have me back," he said with a laugh as they pulled apart.

"More than you can imagine. It hasn't been a very good week. Did I hurt you? You seemed to wince when I hugged you."

"I'm fine, just some bruised ribs from that fight I told you about. What's going on?"

"Let's get your bag and we can talk about it in the car, okay?"

Auggie nodded and went to get his bag from the carousel.

Fifteen minutes later they were in Annie's car, headed for Auggie's apartment.

"So, are you planning on telling me what's going on anytime soon?" Auggie asked after riding in silence for a few minutes. Annie responded with a sigh.

"Danielle and the girls have to move, turns out Michael's loophole really was a loophole."

"Any idea where they're moving?"

"Because of her catering business Danielle would really like to remain in the area, but they'll probably end up moving out to Reston or something. I don't think she can afford somewhere big enough for both her and the girls in Georgetown. The house is on the market now and unsurprisingly there's been a lot of interest."

"Listen Annie, I don't know what you've got planned, but if you want to you're more than welcome to move in with me."

"Really? You'd be okay with that? We've only been going out for a few months."

"Annie…" Auggie said with an exasperated sigh. "We've been best friends for a long time. We know each other well and I know I'm in it for the long run. I wouldn't have made this step with you if I wasn't."

"Your apartment isn't the biggest…where would I stash all of my shoes?"

"We'll get a new place. With the two of us splitting the rent we wouldn't have any trouble paying rent on a bigger apartment. We'll make it work until we find the perfect one, okay?"

"Hmmm… You are making a good argument Augs, I'll give you that. I'm willing to give it a try."

"With that settled, how 'bout some dinner? I'm starving. Plane food just doesn't do it for me. Especially not that crap they serve in coach."

"Tell me about it. I bet these past couple of months have been a reminder to the harsh realities of cheap hotels and flying coach, huh?"

"Yep, sure has. But to be honest I'm just happy to be out of the office, so I really don't mind."

* * *

"I guess that's it," Annie said as they stacked the last box with her stuff against the wall in Auggie's living room. The Brooks' house was sold and Danielle and the girls had moved into a condo in Reston. Annie and Auggie were looking for a bigger apartment, but for now they'd stay at Auggie's place. Annie's furniture and most of her stuff was in a storage unit and she'd brought her clothes and a few personal items to Auggie's apartment.

"Are you sure you brought enough shoes?" Auggie asked teasingly as Annie was unpacking her wardrobe later that afternoon.

"Har har Auggie, very funny."

"Seriously though, how many pairs of those death traps do you need?"

"Hey, a girl can't get enough shoes," Annie said as she swatted him on the arm.

"Ouch, I was just asking."

"Well, you're the one that wanted me to move in. I guess double walk-in closets are on the list of requirements for our new place."

"Sure is. Now, let's order some food. Chinese ok with you?"

"Yeah, sounds great," Annie said as she headed for the kitchen to find the menu, with Auggie following behind her.

* * *

When they returned to the DPD after lunch a few days later Joan called Auggie into her office.

"I have some news for you Auggie. First of I must congratulate you on doing some fine fieldwork over the past months. You've always been one of our best officers and it's great to have you back in the field."

"Thank you Joan. You know I always do my best."

"I know Auggie, and that's one of the things I appreciate most about you and why I respect and appreciate you so much."

Auggie was lost for words and wondering where Joan was going with this.

"Anyway, you've blown us away with the work you've done in the field lately and Arthur has agreed to make an exception and authorize you as a field officer again."

"What?" Auggie's eyes were wide with surprise.

"You heard me Auggie. You're going back in the field full time. We need to find a replacement for you as Head of Tech Ops. Barber would be my first choice, but since he's working with Jai now I'm thinking Stu. He's done a fine job covering for you when you've done fieldwork lately."

"Wow," Auggie breathed, he was so surprised that he wasn't able to form a coherent sentence. After a minute he finally found his voice again. "Yes, Stu would be my first choice too. When will we start our new positions?"

"As soon as possible. I'll talk to Stu next. I'm pretty sure he'll accept to replace you, it shouldn't be a problem." Joan's tone was dismissive and Auggie got to his feet.

"Thank you Joan," he said as he left her office. He tried hard to suppress a grin.

As he settled down by his desk in in soon former office he lightly shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't quite comprehend turns his life had taken lately; he had his sight back, he was not only in a relationship with Annie, they were living together and now he was going back into the field full time.

"What's going on?" Annie's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. What has you grinning like the Cheshire cat?"

"Close the door behind you and I'll tell you. It's not official yet."

Annie entered the office, pulled the sliding door closed and sat in the spare chair opposite Auggie's desk.

"I just talked to Joan. Apparently they're so pleased with my work in the field that they're making an exception and putting me back into the field full time."

"Wow… Auggie that's great news! Who's replacing you? And when do you start?"

"Joan's talking with Stu right now. She wants me to start as soon as possible."

"I'll miss having you in my ear when I'm out in the field, but I know Stu will do a good job. After all, you've trained him"

"Thanks Annie. Do you want to go out for dinner tonight? To celebrate?"

"Sure. I'd better get back to work. Joan wants me to finish the translation I'm doing before I leave today. Hopefully we'll be out of here by 5 if nothing comes up. Will that be doable for you?"

"Yeah. I just have a couple of reports to go over and a cipher to wrap up. Let me know when you're ready to leave," Auggie said as he put his glasses on and turned his attention back to the report he'd been working on when Joan had summoned him to her office. A feeling of contentment he hadn't felt since before Iraq washed over him. Joan's news was the best early Christmas present he'd ever had.

-The end-

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**So, that's the end of "Miracle?".**

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